Apple CEO Steve Jobs announced yesterday that he’s sicker than he originally thought and will take a six month leave of absence from the Apple helm.

Back on Monday, January 5, Jobs wrote an open letter to Apple employees revealing that he had a hormonal imbalance’ which was being treated via dietary adjustments and confirming that his health issues were the reason that he would not personally show up for the Apple keynote at Macworld Expo in San Francisco the nest day.

“I have learned that my health-related issues are more complex than I originally thought,” Jobs said in a new statement yesterday. “I have asked (chief operating officer) Tim Cook to be responsible for Apple’s day-to-day operations, and I know he and the rest of the executive management team will do a great job.”

Jobs nevertheless intends to remain in touch with top-level doings at Apple during his convalescence: “As CEO, I plan to remain involved in major strategic decisions while I am out. Our board of directors fully supports this plan.”

Jobs’ letter of January 5 was seen as a move to quell growing rumours that the Apple CEO had cancer or more some other more serious illness, or was preparing to resign from Apple for some other reason. Apple stock prices had fluctuated uncomfortably in trading the week before. Turned out, the rumours were right.